The Princess Dehra Part 43

He bent down over her, as though looking at something in the letter.

"You know I'm not, sweetheart," he said, "that's why I want to find the Laws-to make you Queen the sooner."

"Your Queen?"

"Mine-yes, either here in Valeria, or over the seas in old Hugo's land-as the Book decides for Lotzen or for me."

"And do you honestly think, Armand, that he has the Book?"

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Women don't think-they have only intuition, and mine says that he has."

"Then I shall go this night--"

"And I with you."

"Then I won't go."

"Nonsense, dear-why not? Dalberg Castle is always ready, and I shall take the Household, or part of it. I most a.s.suredly would not let you go alone, to be butchered by our dear and loving cousin."

He knew it was useless to protest.

"Well, come along, little woman," he said; "and may be, together, we can devise a way for me to get the Book out of Lotzen Castle."

She turned upon him, full faced and emphatic.

"But I'll not go, nor shall you," she declared, "unless you promise you won't do anything without consulting me. I'm going because you need some one to curb your recklessness; and I have no mind to see you throw your life away just because you won't take a dare."

The Archduke gave her cheek a surrept.i.tious pinch.

"I promise," he laughed; "you're something of a Dalberg dare-devil yourself when the fever is on-and you're the finest little comrade and commander G.o.d ever made."

Again she gave him the smile-and they went back to the others.

"Mr. Courtney," said she, at once, "we are about to spend a short while at Dalberg Castle, going to-night by special train, with a few members of the Household; it will be a great pleasure to Armand and me to have you with us."

"I am honored," said the Amba.s.sador, with a grave bow; "I shall be glad to go."

"Even if you do disapprove," said she lightly-"but, what would you, monsieur! I don't want to imprison Armand, so the best thing I can do is to go along and try to take care of him; and that's where you can help me."

"And that, Your Highness, is precisely the reason I'm going," he answered;-"Warwick will stick to his work to the end."

"The end!" she exclaimed, with sharp seriousness.

"In the great Cathedral yonder," he answered.-And the Princess, thinking only of the coronation, smiled and glanced with proud faith at the Archduke.

But to the latter the real inference went home, and sharply.

"The crypt, you mean?" he muttered aside.

And Courtney nodded curtly.

"The crypt I mean," he said. "Even Warwick and Margaret of Anjou together could not save the silly Henry."

But the old, lean-faced Prime Minister did not deal in inferences when-having come at the Regent's summons, from his office in the Administration wing of the same building-he was advised of the matter, and that he was to a.s.sume charge of the government during her absence.

"Has Your Royal Highness forgot the Chambers meet this day week, and that the Regent must open them in person?" he asked.

"I had forgot," said she, "but I shall return for it."

The Count shrugged his shoulders.

"It is not for me to question the Regent's movements," he said; "but if you will accept the advice of one who was your father's friend and trusted servant, and who ventures to think he can, at least in this instance, speak with his dear, dead master's voice, you will abandon this astonishing intention, that can profit nothing to His Highness' cause, and will lead him only into dire and awful danger."

"Will there be no profit in recovering the Book?" she demanded.

"You will not recover it in Lotzenia."

"The Duke has it; I saw it last night."

The Count shook his head. "I feel sure that Lotzen hasn't the Book; but if you are positive, beyond a doubt, then formally demand it as Regent; if he refuse, take half the Army, if need be, and batter down his Castle and get it."

The Princess laughed. "Now, Count, you know very well that would be the one sure way not to get it-he would destroy it."

"And himself with it," said Epping; "for then your testimony would be enough to convict him, and lose him his last chance for election by the n.o.bles. It would be as effective as to find the Book itself."

"Your plan does not please me for two reasons," she answered, promptly and decisively. "It contemplates the destruction of the Laws of the Dalbergs, which I would rather die than be the cause of; and it would permit the House of n.o.bles to determine the succession to the Throne, a thing hitherto unknown, and to my poor mind subversive of the rights of my House. What we want is the Book, and the way to get it is to take it quietly and by stealth. Hence, I was willing that His Highness should go to Lotzenia, and I with him, to see what might be done."

"In other words," said the Count incisively, "you deliberately stake the Archduke Armand's life for the preservation of the Book."

The Princess gasped, and her face went white.

"Don't say it, my child!" the old man exclaimed, "don't say it!-think a moment first-and then forgive me for having let my affection for you drive my tongue too far."

And instantly her anger pa.s.sed; and she went to him and laid her hand on his, where it rested on his sword hilt-while the Archduke spoke quickly.

"Your Excellency does not quite appreciate that the Regent is dealing with a very unruly subject, and one who will not countenance the a.s.sault on Lotzen Castle. Neither Her Highness nor myself could stand before the n.o.bles and affirm on honor and unreservedly that the Duke has the Book, though we think we identified it. But more vital still is the fact that I will not consent to any measures which would drive the Duke to destroy the Book. I am determined to establish my right to the Throne by the Laws of the Dalbergs, and not to owe it to the vote of any man nor set of men.

Frankly, my lord, I care so lightly for it, that, but for this little woman here, and to make her the Queen which by birth she ought to be, I would not lift a finger nor move tongue to gain the Crown. And if we are to have it-she and I-it must be with all its ancient rights and authority, unsmirched and unimpaired by the politics and obligations of an election."

The old Count raised his thin, white hand-his lean face flushed, the fine fire of a hotspur youth glowing in his eyes.

"Go, Sire!" he said, "go; and win your crown as a Dalberg should-and would I were young enough to go with you-as it is, I will hold things stanch for you here."

XIX LA d.u.c.h.eSSE